Thursday January 17, 2013 (Vol. 3 No. 6)
V O I C E
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Court in session: The RCMP Basketball Classic – in full swing – is down to the final teams, including last year’s finalists White Rock Christian and Tamanawis. › see page 31
120 speakers postponed to second meeting Friday, after 72 talk into the wee hours Tuesday
City doubles down on casino hearings Kevin Diakiw Black Press
It’s Surrey’s longest public hearing, at least in the last 35 years – and perhaps ever. A marathon meeting over a proposal for a casino and entertainment complex in South Surrey will continue Friday night at city hall. On Monday, a crowd of more than 500 packed the hall over the issue, with 192 people registering to address council. By 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, less than half of that number had been heard, so council plans to hear from the remaining 120 people on Friday, beginning at 7 p.m. If the meeting continues at Monday’s pace, it will run until 5 a.m., or be continued on a third night. Sign-up for speakers is now closed, so council will only hear from those who already have a number from Monday. Former Surrey mayor Bob Bose, who sat on council from 1978 to 2011, said Wednesday he’s never seen a public hearing go on for this long. The $100-million project has been highly contentious amongst local residents for Spectator looks the better part of into chambers. a year. It’s slated to include a 60,000-sq.-ft. gaming area, 200-room hotel and a 27,000-sq.-ft. convention and
Gord Goble photos
Semiahmoo First Nation councillor Joanne Charles and Chief Willard Cook take their turn at the podium at the start of Monday’s public hearing. entertainment centre. The casino promises to bring in $3 million in revenue each year to its host city. The development is planned for an 18-acre parcel of land at 10 Avenue and 168 Street. Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Inc. is proposing to move its gaming licence from 7093 King George Blvd. to a yet-to-be-built facility on the land. Surrey council zoned the South Surrey property for a casino two years ago, with little objection
from the public. However, that has changed significantly, with many area residents now opposed. Semiahmoo First Nation council member Joanne Charles said she couldn’t support nor speak against the proposal, because the band wasn’t brought into the consultation process. “We were not consulted... at any time,” Charles told council. Susan Lindenberger said she felt misled by the information that has
been presented to the public. “We are all tired of listening to the half-truths spun by those who would foist this casino upon us,” Lindenberger said. She also doesn’t buy into the romantic notion of a destination entertainment area, and instead sees “individuals pushing buttons over and over, chasing their losses.” Surrey Board of Trade CEO Anita Huberman said the casino and entertainment centre “can and
will be a real destination.” She said it’s high time Surrey had an entertainment complex of this magnitude. “This is much more than a casino,” she said. Others in favour of the project told council it’s time to grow into a big city and recognize the promising economic benefits and the jobs that will come with the entertainment complex. › see page 4
Epcor presentation ends with councillors voting to consider options
White Rock considers switch to Metro water Tracy Holmes Staff Reporter
White Rock city staff are investigating the possibility of linking to Metro Vancouver’s water system. The research – including associated costs of such a move and what it would involve – was suggested by Coun. Helen Fathers following a presentation Monday by officials
with Epcor, the city’s water supplier. It would be an advantage for the city to know, Fathers explained, describing a city decision to not buy the utility when it had the chance as “a mistake.” But the suggestion did not receive unanimous support. “I think the fact of the matter is there is no alternative,” said Mayor Wayne Baldwin.
“Unless we buy Epcor…” Coun. Larry Robinson also voted against the move, suggesting it will give the impression that such a switch wouldn’t be complicated. “I don’t think we should lead the citizens to believe we can just turn off one tap and turn on another,” he said. Betty Icharia, manager of the White Rock
Epcor office, Lee Jenkins (senior manager of B.C. operations) and Clayton Crawford (senior manager of municipal projects) were at city hall to speak on the utility’s Total Water Quality Management project. It is a plan to carry out $11-12 million in system upgrades over the next five years, and includes increasing chlorination. › see page 4
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